Noughts and Crosses (All Time Low Fan Fiction)

Chapter 1

“Alex, wake the fuck up.  It’s like two in the afternoon dude.  You need to wake up someday.”

Jack shouting at me isn’t really my preferred way to wake up, but it’s going to have to work today.  I swear, sometimes he is so damn obnoxious.  Why did I want him on tour with me again?  Oh ya, he’s my best friend.

“Come on, princess; you’ve had your beauty sleep.  It’s seriously time to wake up now, man,” Jack says.  His voice isn’t as loud and obnoxious now, and I am grateful for that.  But however annoying Jack’s wakeup call is, I will admit that I do need to wake up.

“Alex, don’t make me come down –”

“Jack,” I sigh, “I’m up.  Please just give me a minute to think straight!  Are you sure it’s already two?  In the afternoon?  Feels like it’s two in the morning…” I mumble.  I could probably sleep for another couple of hours.

“Lexy,” Jack uses his old nickname for me, “I promise it is two in the afternoon.”  Whenever he calls me Lexy, he uses a very soft, sensitive voice, like he’s speaking to a child.  It may sound degrading; however it’s actually his sensitive side peaking through.  Unfortunately, he ruins it when he rips my blankets off and shouts “wake up,” in my ear.

“Jack,” I shout his name.  “Okay, okay I’m up now.  Get outta my way, I need to go piss.”

Jack moves and I clamber to the bathroom.  After, ehem, relieving myself, I look in the mirror.  My shaggy brown hair is sticking up every which-way; my bare upper body reveals a lanky frame, held up by two limbs that could probably be sturdier, but certainly aren’t twigs.  As I walk from the bathroom, I wonder how this dorky Baltimore boy could ever have become a rockstar.

I get back to my bunk and pull out the drawer under it, pulling out a pair of navy blue basketball shorts and an old Fall Out Boy shirt.  I slide the clothes on and make my way into the living room-kitchen area.

“Wow, you’re actually alive,” Rian says.  “Gotta be honest dude, I thought you had died.  Weird because you’re the only one who didn’t get out of their mind shitfaced last night.”

“Asshole,” I mumble.  I trudge along and grab some eggo waffles from the freezer and pop them into the toaster.  Obviously not my preferred breakfast, but it seems that nothing this morning is really going the way I would prefer it to go.  Between bites of eggo I ask them “ya what even happened to you guys?  All I remember was getting back to the bus before you guys started doing all those rounds of shots.”  Last night was pretty crazy, but the guys know I don’t get shitfaced like them; it’s just always been who I am, ever since I was about twelve.

“Jack almost hooked up with a guy,” Rian snorted.

“I did not,” Jack squealed.  “I swear that was a chick, Rian.  Don’t start making up shit now.”

I listen to the meaningless banter while munching on my waffles.  As the conversation carries on, I reminisce about last night.  It was our night off, so we all went out to a bar.  We got bar food – mainly wings and fries – and beer to wash it all down.  I had a couple beers, nothing much.  I don’t like getting trashed like all of my friends; my brother taught me better.  I don’t judge those who do get trashed though, and it’s not like my friends do it all the time.  It’s a once and a while thing, you know.  Anyways, once the hard liquor came out, that was my signal to leave.  Yes, I will indulge at times, but it just wasn’t worth it last night.  Plus, the idea of a hangover the next morning wasn’t very appealing.  I told the guys that we should all go, but they wanted to stay.  I wasn’t gunna drag them all home – they are big boys, they can take care of themselves – so I went out and got a taxi back to the bus myself.  I had passed out before they got back…

“Helloooooo?  Earth to Alex,” Jack spoke right into my face.

“Dude.  Personal space.  Learn what it is.”  I took a step back in order to get Jack’s face out of my own.  I swear if he weren’t my best friend I would have kicked his ass by now.

“Sorry man, you’re just so unresponsive this morning.  I don’t mean to sound overly concerned, but are you okay Alex?”

“Your concern is touching Jacky,” I call him by his old nickname, “but I’m fine, just still pretty wiped out.”

“Dude,” Jack says, “you’ve been asleep for, like, ever.  How can you possibly still be tired?  Ah, whatever.  Just wake up before five.  We have a show tonight!”

“Don’t worry guys.  I’ll be up by then I’m sure,” I mumble.

I trudge back to my bunk and grab my laptop.  Inspiration has hit me and I have to get it down in words before it slips away…